1 / 3

Key characteristics

Family: Oleaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Creamy white, double, highly fragrant flower clusters; opening from greenish buds
Foliage color: Medium to dark green, broadly heart-shaped leaves
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; prune immediately after flowering to shape and remove spent clusters
Growing zone: USDA zones 3 to 7
Wildlife: Fragrant blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators

Shrubs

Syringa vulgaris ‘Miss Ellen Willmott’

Miss Ellen Willmott Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Miss Ellen Willmott' is a French-bred common lilac introduced by the Lemoine nursery in 1903 and named for the English plantswoman Ellen Willmott. In mid to late spring, greenish buds open to creamy white, fully double florets held in long, pyramidal clusters, filling the air with classic lilac fragrance.

Heart-shaped, medium green leaves create a fresh backdrop through the growing season, and the shrub's sturdy branching carries the flower trusses upright for cutting and early-season bouquets.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Cottage Gardens
Fragrant Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Larkspur · Windflower · Hardy mum · Fountain grass · Candytuft · Columbine

Design tip

Take advantage of the progression from greenish buds to creamy white flowers by including ‘Miss Ellen Willmott’ in a green-and-white planting scheme. Its dense double blooms provide the main spring display, while the medium-green foliage carries the simpler palette through summer.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)